Yay for a new chapter! So this is kind of where I wanted that whole storyline with Alex to end up. There's going to be a better explination for my insanity at the bottom!

Enjoy! I'll probably get another chapter up before the weekend, but its a long weekend up here, so there's going to be a lot of drunkeness and fireworks (I have a large dislike of fireworks, they scare me. You've probably noticed by my tumblr posts if you follow me on tumblr) ANYWAYS. It might be a few days before another update, but you've been warned! Now go read.

Apartment hunting with Chris was an adventure. They'd decided that they wanted a condo, and a nice one at that. The closer to the set, the better. Two bedrooms. They decided on two, only because Darren had pointed out that if they ever had their parents over, or threw a party for the cast or anything, it would be good to have another room.

The first place they saw had a huge walk in closet, something Chris hadn't even mentioned wanting, until he saw it. So now they needed 2 bedrooms, a walk in closet, two bathrooms, a nice kitchen, a study/office and a fairly nice sized living room.

Until Darren saw the apartment with the music room. This guy had an entire room dedicated to his cd collection, his stereo, a couch and all his instruments. It was like walking into heaven. So add that to the list, and it was fairly obvious that they were never finding an apartment. Even if they wanted a three bedroom, and would just convert one into a music room, three bedroom condos in LA, close to the studio were impossible to find.

And then Ashley pointed out the obvious answer while out to lunch with the two of them.

"Why don't you just buy a house?"

Chris sighed. "There's not as much security. I mean, sure, there's a gate, but its easy to climb those, and then there's a door. In an apartment there's the whole, trying to find the apartment thing."

Darren nodded. "That's all true, but we could hire security. I'm not talking a lot, just one guy during the day, one at night just to watch the cameras and operate the front gate. Its not a horrible idea. And there's a really nice house for sale on the way to the set."

Ashley gasped. "The one with the huge front gate? I drive that way every single day just to stare at that place. I don't even live that way."

Chris laughed. "Fine! We'll look at the house. Let me just text Cindy and she can make us an appointment or whatever."

Darren winked at Ashley and mouthed "thank you."

Chris was in love. From the moment they drove through the fence, to the moment they walked through the front door and started looking around. The house was perfect. There was a soundproof music room upstairs, two offices on the main floor (formerly a his and hers type set up), 3 bedrooms upstairs, a sauna, a hot tub out by the pool, a mini bar, and not 2, but 3 bathrooms. It was bigger than their apartment, but no bigger than Kurt's house on the show. It was perfect.

Chris turned to the realtor. "What's the asking price?"

"This property was asking $3 million, but it was recently dropped to $2.5, which is actually a low cost for a property like this. The couple that owns it currently have relocated to New York and are looking to move it quickly."

Chris nodded as he looked around. $2.5 million was a lot of money for a house. It was a ton of money. Money that he had. He could easily afford it on his own, but it wasn't just him. Darren was in on this as well.

Darren smiled at the realtor. "Can we have a minute?"

She nodded and handed him a booklet highlighting the features of the house. "Just yell if you need anything, I'm just going to step outside and make a few calls." She walked out of the room and Darren looked at Chris.

"So...do you like it?"

Chris laughed. "Its perfect. Its everything I've ever wanted in a house, maybe even more. Its just...that's a lot of money."

Darren nodded. "I know. Like, a lot of fucking money."

Chris nodded. "I know we agreed no more than $1.5...but that was for a condo."

Darren smiled. "I was thinking, we could offer 2, and see what happens. If we get it, perfect. If we don't, we will find another place."

Chris smiled, bitting his lip. "Really?"

Darren nodded. Chris pounced on Darren, hugging him. "We'll get it, I'm sure we will. Go get the realtor woman and we can write up the papers and everything!"

The next week was crazy. They accepted the offer immediately, apparently they hadn't gotten a single offer on the house, well no respectable offers. Someone had offered $1 million, and insisted that they pay for repairs to the front stairs.

They were due to move in to their new house in a week. A week. Chris couldn't even pack his suitcase for tour in a week. It took at least 2 weeks, if the conditions were ideal.

Darren had an idea.

"We're having a packing party. Thursday night."

"Darren, that's the night before we move. And there's no way I'm letting everyone come in and touch my clothes. You're lucky that I let you touch my clothes."

Darren smiled. "I'll pack your clothes. And my clothes." He glanced down at his list. "You are packing...the kitchen."

As it turned out, a packing party was a great idea. Chris, Ashley and Jenna packed the kitchen, Mark, Cory and Chord took care of the living room. Dianna and Lea packed up the extra bedroom and Kevin helped Darren with the main bedroom while Amber kept everyone fed and laughing. It took all of 2 hours for everything to get packed and shoved into the back of a truck.

Everyone went home after that. They would be moving into the house tomorrow morning, and everyone would be back. But for now it was just Darren and Chris on the floor of their living room with sleeping bags, pizza, diet coke and Darren's laptop.

"I can't believe this is our last night here."

Darren smiled. "I can't believe we bought a house."

Chris laughed. "I can't believe we bought a house together. I never thought I'd ever be buying a house with someone."

"I think this is like...our first big step as a couple."

Chris nodded. "It is. Well, after moving in together, and all that other stuff. But its our first big purchase."

"And it really was a big purchase."

"Like really big."

"Huge."

Chris laughed. "Are we still talking about the house?"

Darren laughed. "Just think of all the firsts we get to have again. A first kiss in our house, sex, our first fight, make up sex, the first time we order pizza, kitchen fires." He laughed again. "Its almost like we get to start our entire relationship over again, in a new place. I know we're only moving cause of everything that happened, but it just feels so right." He paused for a second. "Did I tell you what Chuck said? I sent him the pictures we took from the house, and he said that he was moving in with us and bringing his fiancee and we'd just have to make room. My parents can't wait to come visit either. And they really want to meet your parents. I wrote this story like ten years ago about this couple that's getting married and their parents meet and they all fall in love with each other. Like the father of the groom falls for the mother of the bride. I wonder if I still have that." he glanced down at Chris, who's head was resting in his lap and smiled. "Goodnight." he gently pressed a kiss to his forehead and leaned back against the wall.

"We are never moving again."

Darren laughed. "It wasn't THAT bad."

"We have to order a new couch cause ours won't fit through the door!"

Darren laughed again. "Its part of the adventure of moving. Besides, we needed a new couch."

Chris smiled. "It was nice of everyone to help though. I actually don't think we have anything to do. The house is clean, and we're completely unpacked."

"There is actually stuff to do."

Chris looked at him, confusion spread across his face.

"Chris, look around. Our stuff doesn't even half furnish this place." Darren sat down on the floor next to Chris. "Do you know how many seats we have?"

Chris shook his head. "No, I didn't feel the need to count. But something tells me that you did." He winked at Darren.

Darren laughed. "We have 4 dining room chairs, 1 office chair and a stool for the kitchen. Now I know we need a couch, but we need some other stuff too."

Chris smiled. "So we need to go furniture shopping?"

Darren nodded. "And plates, we only own 3 plates."

"Well, there are only two of us and its not like we ever eat anything other than take out."

"And I'm taking a cooking class!"

Chris looked at Darren. "Why are you freaking out?"

"I'm not freaking out, we just need to have more seats, and more plates and we need to start cooking, and get some plants and a dog or a cat or a lizard or something, and-"

Chris put his hand over Darren's mouth. "You're freaking out, and I don't totally understand why, but you need to calm down and stop tossing words at me. Okay?"

Darren closed his eyes and nodded before opening them again. Chris nodded as well before removing his hand from Darren's mouth.

"It's just a huge step."

Chris nodded. "I know it is, and you're allowed to freak out. I freaked out."

Darren smiled at him through his eyelashes, looking like the biggest puppy on earth. "Really?"

Chris nodded. "Hell yes. Right after we put in the offer and you went out to get dinner I freaked out and had to call my mom to calm me back down."

"I didn't even know. Why didn't you tell me?"

Chris shrugged. "I thought that I was alone in freak out land, and I didn't want my freak out to trigger your freak out. My mom said freak outs were good though."

"Why are they good?"

"Well, if you freak out its like you're acknowledging that you're doing something huge. And its good, because it makes you revaluate things and make sure that you're making the right decision."

Darren smiled. "We made the right decision."

Chris nodded and leaned against Darren. "I think so too. The only thing that could go wrong is that we break up."

Darren held Chris close. "I don't see that happening anytime soon."

Chris smiled. "Me either."

"We're still gonna buy more chairs, right?"

Chris laughed. "And plates, and silverware, and cups, and you mentioned something about a pet. I can't say I'm alright with a lizard, but we could totally get a cat, or a couple cats."

Darren smiled. "Cats would be good."

Chris nodded. "Besides, I think one puppy is enough."

"...Chris, we don't have a dog."

Chris smiled. "No, WE don't, but I do." He winked at Darren, who laughed loudly.

I kind of took a HUGE detour to get them here, but this is where I wanted them! Finally taking a really really big step and sharing their fears and such. I didn't want it to be completely random and just like...starting a new chapter and BAM they want a new house. And I thought about going the whole "they ran out of space" way, but what fun would that have been? So yes, I went the long way, and it was random, but it got them here.

OH right, okay. So the random rambling Darren speech while Chris falls asleep. I ramble like that all the time and people tend to fall asleep, and then the next day I'm just kind of like "I talked you to sleep" and yeah, so that's kind of what that was. And I was writing that and I totally had the idea about parents falling in love with each other while meeting their kid's boyfriend/girlfriend and I was like "well that's brilliant, must toss in" I don't know. I'm weird, it was late. I think that's it...

OH THANK YOU TO THE WONDERFUL PERSON THAT INFORMED ME THAT THE COPS IN THE LAST CHAPTER WERE PERFECTLY JUSTIFIED! You deserve a hug.